Portable Electronic Devices With Integrated Imaging Capabilities

ABSTRACT

A portable electronic device (e.g., smart phone or tablet computer) is provided for generating and displaying images (e.g., 2-dimensional or 3-dimensional images) of an imaging target such as a human body. The portable electronic device may include imaging elements configured to receive radiation signals transmitted through and/or reflected by the imaging target, an imaging interface, and one or more processors. The portable electronic device may display what appears to be a window into the imaging target (e.g., a human body), and/or an exploded view (e.g., 3-dimensional, upwardly projected image) of the target. The generated image may be a real-time continuous image of the internal features of the target (e.g., a human body) that is updated to track movements of the target (e.g., breathing patterns) and the relative position of the portable electronic device as the portable electronic device moves relative to a surface of the target.

FIELD OF THE TECHNOLOGY

The present disclosure relates generally to imaging devices and methods(e.g., ultrasound imaging devices and methods).

BACKGROUND

Imaging technologies are used at various stages of medical care. Forexample, imaging technologies are used to non-invasively diagnosepatients, to monitor the performance of medical (e.g., surgical)procedures, and/or to monitor post-treatment progress or recovery.

Conventional imaging devices and methods, including magnetic resonanceimaging (MRI) technology, are typically configured for and limited touse within a fixed location in a hospital setting. MRI technology isalso generally slow, and suffers from other drawbacks including highcost, loud noise, and the use of potentially harmful magnetic fields.

In view of the foregoing, it would be desirable to provide portableelectronic devices and associated methods with integrated imagingcapabilities.

SUMMARY

Some embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a portableelectronic device (e.g., smart phone and/or tablet computer) forgenerating and displaying an image (e.g., 2-dimensional or 3-dimensionalimage) of what appears to be a window into an underlying object, such asa human body, when placed in proximity to (e.g., on or close to) theobject. The window and corresponding image displayed on a display screenof the portable electronic device change as the portable electronicdevice is moved over various portions of the body (e.g., abdomen,thorax, etc.). The image displayed by the portable electronic device mayidentify, for example, organs, arteries, veins, tissues, bone, and/orother bodily contents or parts. In various embodiments, the image may bepresented in 3 dimensions such at it appears to the viewer as if theviewer is looking into the body, or as if the body parts have beenprojected up (e.g., exploded view) from the body.

The present disclosure provides numerous embodiments of systems,apparatus, computer readable media, and methods for providing imagingfunctionality using a portable electronic device, such as, for example,a smart phone or a tablet computer. In some embodiments, the portableelectronic device is configured to generate and display an image of whatappears to be an exploded view (e.g., 3-dimensional, upwardly projectedimage) of an object or its constituent parts. In some embodiments,movement of the portable electronic device results in the rendering of adifferent internal image of the target (e.g., different portion(s) of ahuman body). In some embodiments, the generated window of the underlyingobject (e.g., the portion of the human body) may provide an internalview of the object (e.g., a three-dimensional rendering of an organ or aportion of an organ).

In some embodiments according to one aspect of the present disclosure, aportable electronic device is provided that includes a processorconfigured to generate an image (e.g., ultrasound image) of an internalfeature of a target when the device is positioned at an external surfaceof the target, and a display configured to display the image.

In some embodiments according to another aspect of the presentdisclosure, a portable ultrasound device is provided that includesmultiple ultrasound elements configured to receive ultrasound radiationreflected by or passing through a target when the ultrasound device ispointed at the target. The portable ultrasound device also includes adisplay configured to display an image of an internal feature of thetarget based at least in part on the ultrasound radiation received bythe plurality of ultrasound elements.

In some embodiments according to another aspect of the presentdisclosure, a method is provided that includes pointing a portableelectronic device at an external surface of a subject, and viewing, on adisplay of the portable electronic device, an image of an internalfeature of the subject while pointing the portable electronic device atthe external surface of the subject. In some embodiments, the portableelectronic device includes a radiation sensor, and the method furtherincludes receiving, with the radiation sensor, radiation reflected by orpassing through the subject, and creating the image of the internalfeature based at least in part on the radiation received by theradiation sensor.

In some embodiments according to yet another aspect of the presentdisclosure, a portable electronic device is provided that renders withina window on a display of the device an image (e.g., 3-dimensional image)of an inside of a human body when the device is directed at the body(e.g., within about one meter or less of the body). In some embodiments,the image changes to reflect additional body parts as the device ismoved relative to the body.

In some embodiments according to another aspect of the presentdisclosure, a portable electronic device is provided that includesmultiple imaging elements configured to receive radiation signalstransmitted through or reflected by an imaging target and an imaginginterface. The portable electronic device also includes one or moreprocessors configured to receive one or more sensing signals from atleast one of the plurality of imaging elements, and to render an imageof the imaging target for display through the imaging interface based atleast in part on the one or more sensing signals.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

Aspects and embodiments of the present disclosure will be described withreference to the following figures. It should be appreciated that thefigures are not necessarily drawn to scale. Items appearing in multiplefigures are indicated by the same reference number in all the figures inwhich they appear.

FIG. 1A illustrates a portable electronic device including an imaginginterface for generating and/or rendering an internal image of a humanbody or a portion of a human body according to some embodiments of thepresent disclosure.

FIG. 1B illustrates a three-dimensional internal image of a portion of ahuman body that is generated and/or rendered by a portable electronicdevice according to some embodiments of the present disclosure.

FIG. 2A illustrates a front view of portable electronic device includingan imaging interface according to some embodiments of the presentdisclosure.

FIG. 2B illustrates a back view of portable electronic device includingimaging elements according to some embodiments of the presentdisclosure.

FIG. 3 illustrates a transmissive imaging system and method according tosome embodiments of the present disclosure.

FIG. 4 illustrates a reflective imaging system and method according tosome embodiments of the present disclosure.

FIG. 5 illustrates a transmissive and/or reflective imaging system andmethod according to some embodiments of the present disclosure.

FIG. 6A illustrates a portable electronic device including an imaginginterface for generating and/or rendering an internal image of a portionof a human body at a first position and at a second position accordingto some embodiments of the present disclosure.

FIG. 6B illustrates a three-dimensional internal image of a portion of ahuman body at the first position shown in FIG. 6A that is generatedand/or rendered by a portable electronic device according to someembodiments of the present disclosure.

FIG. 6C illustrates a three-dimensional internal image of a portion of ahuman body at the second position shown in FIG. 6A that is generatedand/or rendered by a portable electronic device according to someembodiments of the present disclosure.

FIG. 7A illustrates a front view of a portable electronic deviceaccording to some embodiments of the present disclosure.

FIG. 7B illustrates a back view of a portable electronic deviceaccording to some embodiments of the present disclosure.

FIG. 7C illustrates a front view of a case for a portable electronicdevice according to some embodiments of the present disclosure.

FIG. 7D illustrates a back view of a case including imaging elements fora portable electronic device according to some embodiments of thepresent disclosure.

FIG. 8A illustrates a front view of a case for a portable electronicdevice according to some embodiments of the present disclosure.

FIG. 8B illustrates a back view of a case including a retainingmechanism for a modular unit utilized with a portable electronic deviceaccording to some embodiments of the present disclosure.

FIG. 8C illustrates a front view of a case for a portable electronicdevice according to some embodiments of the present disclosure.

FIG. 8D illustrates a back view of a case including a retainingmechanism for a modular unit utilized with a portable electronic deviceaccording to some embodiments of the present disclosure.

FIG. 8E illustrates a modular unit including an imaging circuitaccording to some embodiments of the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

According to some embodiments of the present disclosure, a portableelectronic device is provided that includes an imaging interface and oneor more imaging elements. For example, the portable electronic devicemay be a cellular phone, personal digital assistant, smart phone, tabletdevice, digital camera, laptop computer, or the like. An image may begenerated and/or rendered utilizing the portable electronic device. Forexample, the portable electronic device may be utilized to simulate a“window” into an imaging target, such as a human body or portion of thebody. The simulated “window” may provide a view of the inside of a humanbody or portion of the body, including organs, arteries, veins, tissues,bone, and/or other bodily contents or parts. For example, an image(e.g., ultrasound or sonographic image) may be generated thatillustrates and/or simulates internal features of the imaging target fora user. In some embodiments, a real-time continuous or substantiallyreal-time continuous image may be generated and/or rendered such thatmovement of the portable electronic device results in a substantiallyreal-time updated image of the area that corresponds to the new positionof the portable electronic device. In some embodiments, internalmovement of the target object (e.g., such as expansion and/orcontraction of organs) may be rendered in real-time by the portableelectronic device.

In some embodiments, the portable electronic devices and methodsdescribed herein may include, be coupled to (e.g., via a suitablecommunications connection or port such as a USB link), or otherwiseutilize one or more radiation sources, sensors, and/or transducers(e.g., array(s) of ultrasound transducers), front-end processingcircuitry and associated processing techniques, and/or imagereconstruction devices and/or methods, in order to generate and/orrender images to a user according to the non-limiting embodimentsdescribed in detail throughout the present disclosure.

In some embodiments of the present disclosure, one or more of thedevices described in FIGS. 1A-8E herein may include or be coupled to oneor more ultrasound imaging elements (e.g., one or more arrays ofultrasound sources, sensors, and/or transducers). One or more computersor processors within the portable electronic device may perform imageanalysis and/or image rendering based at least in part on radiationsignals received by an imaging device.

FIG. 1A illustrates a portable electronic device 100 including animaging interface 102 for generating and/or rendering an internal imageof a human body or a portion of a human body 106 according to someembodiments. FIG. 1B illustrates a three-dimensional internal image 110of a portion of a human body that is generated and/or rendered by aportable electronic device 100 according to some embodiments. As shownin FIG. 1A, the portable electronic device 100 may be positioned in anarea near (e.g. in contact with the surface of or within about one meterfrom the surface of) a portion of a human body that is to be imagedand/or analyzed. The portable electronic device 100 may include imagingelements 104 that are configured to transmit and/or receive radiationsignals. The imaging elements 104, along with other components andfunctions of the portable electronic device 100 according to someembodiments of the present disclosure will be described in greaterdetail below with reference to FIG. 2A-2B. An internal image 110 asshown in FIG. 1B may be generated by the portable electronic device 100.The internal image 110 may be a three-dimensional internal image of aportion of the human body that appears to a viewer 117 to project upwardfrom a surface of the portable electronic device 100, giving the viewerthe perception of a viewing window into the underlying body. Throughgeneration of the internal image, the portable electronic device 100 mayprovide a window into the internal areas of the human body that arebelow the surface. As will be described in greater detail below withreference to FIGS. 6A-6C, the generated images may be real-timecontinuous images such that the images are dynamically updated based onmovement of the portable electronic device 100 and/or the image target(e.g., internal organs of the human body).

FIG. 2A illustrates a front view of portable electronic device 100including an imaging interface 102 according to some embodiments of thepresent disclosure. The imaging interface 102 of the portable electronicdevice 100 may include a display that is configured to output atwo-dimensional (2-D) or three-dimensional (3-D) image of an imagingtarget. In some embodiments, the imaging interface 102 is interactiveand is capable of receiving user input, for example through atouch-screen. An image that is displayed via the imaging interface 102may be adjusted based on the received inputs, for example, to adjustzoom level, centering position, level of detail, depth of an underlyingobject to be imaged, resolution, brightness, color and/or the like ofthe image. For example, in some embodiments, imaging interface 102 maybe configured to allow a user to selectively traverse various layers andimaging depths of the underlying object using, for example, the touchscreen.

Portable electronic device 100 may render a three-dimensional image ofthe imaging target using any suitable method or combination of methods(e.g., anaglyph, polarization, eclipse, interference filtering, and/oraustosteroscopy). For example, in some embodiments, the imaginginterface 102 includes a circular polarizer and/or a linear polarizersuch that a viewer having polarizing filtering spectacles can view athree-dimensional image. In some embodiments, the imaging interface 102is configured to display alternating left and right images such that aviewer having spectacles with shutters that alternate in conjunctionwith the displayed image. In some embodiments, the imaging interface 102may utilize an autostereoscopy method such that 3-D spectacles are notnecessary for use by a viewer to view the three-dimensional image.

In some embodiments, portable electronic device 100 may displayinformation (e.g., text and/or graphics) in addition to (e.g.,graphically overlaid on top of or adjacent to) an image of a targetedobject, such as, for example, text and/or graphics identifying thestructure(s) identified in the image (e.g., organs, arteries, veins,tissues, bone, and/or other bodily contents or parts). In someembodiments, portable electronic device 100 may include one or moreprocessors for identifying structure(s) identified in the image based atleast in part on stored data (e.g., data stored in random access memoryor other storage device of portable electronic device 100). For example,data stored within device 100 may identify characteristic(s) ofstructure(s) (e.g., one or more shapes, colors, textures, cellularcharacteristics, tissue characteristics, and/or other distinctive and/orsurrounding features or structures) that may be present within differentareas of the human body for use by personal electronic device 100 toidentify and/or predict the type(s) of structures depicted in an imagerendered by device 100. In some embodiments, data stored within device100 may identify characteristics of particular disease(s) such as canceror other abnormalities for use by personal electronic device 100 toidentify and/or predict the type(s) of structures depicted in an imagerendered by device 100. In some embodiments, the image, text, graphics,and/or other information displayed on the user interface 104 may beadjusted through user interaction with one or more inputs (e.g., touchscreen, buttons, touch-sensitive areas, or the like) of the portableelectronic device 100.

FIG. 2B illustrates a back view of portable electronic device 100including imaging elements 104 according to some embodiments of thepresent disclosure. The imaging elements 104 may be configured assources (emitters) and/or sensors of ultrasound radiation and/or otherradiation. In some embodiments, the imaging elements 104 may be ofsubstantially the same size and/or may be arranged in an array as shownin FIG. 2B. In some embodiments, the imaging elements 104 may be ofdifferent sizes and/or arranged in an irregular or scatteredconfiguration. In some embodiments, one or more (e.g., all) of theimaging elements 104 may be arranged in the same plane. In otherembodiments, at least some of imaging elements may be arranged in atleast two different planes. In some embodiments, all of the imagingelements 104 included in the portable electronic device 100 may beeither emitting elements or sensing elements. In some embodiments, theimaging elements 104 may include both emitting elements and sensingelements. The embodiment shown in FIG. 2B includes a 4×6 array ofimaging elements 104, by way of illustration only and is not intended tobe limiting. In other embodiments, any other suitable numbers of imagingelements may be provided (e.g., 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 100, 200, 500, 1000,or any number in between, or more) and may be arranged in any suitableconfiguration.

In some embodiments, the imaging elements 104 may be integrated within acircuit board (e.g., a printed circuit board) that includes, forexample, processing (e.g., image processing) components of the portableelectronic device 100. In some embodiments, the imaging elements 104 maybe provided on a separate circuit board or layer of a circuit board thanthe processing components of the portable electronic device 100, and maybe in communication with the processing circuitry through a suitablecommunications link (e.g., an internal bus, USB link, or other port).

The imaging elements 104 according to some embodiments of the presentdisclosure may include their own dedicated processing circuitry, such asa graphic processing unit (GPU), digital signal processor (DSP), and/orcentral processing unit (CPU), and/or may utilize processing circuitryof the portable electronic device 100. For example, in some embodiments,the CPU and/or GPU of the portable electronic device 100 may be utilizedfor image acquisition/reconstruction and image rendering. In someembodiments, the CPU of portable electronic device 100 may be utilizedto process computations based on received signals (e.g., back-scatteredsignals and/or transmissive signals) in order to generate an image ortopography, while the GPU may be utilized to render an image based onthe information received from the CPU to generate a real-time orsubstantially real-time image display. In some embodiments, portableelectronic device 100 may include one or more components for processing,filtering, amplification, and/or rendering images.

FIG. 3 illustrates a transmissive imaging system and method 301according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. As shown inFIG. 3, the transmissive imaging system 301 includes two portableelectronic devices 100A and 100B that are on opposing or generallyopposing sides of an imaging target 306. In other embodiments, devices100A and 100B may be positioned in any other relationship with respectto one another. In some embodiments, devices 100A and/or 100B mayinclude one or more sensors for determining the relative positions ofthese devices to aid in the generation of image(s). While shown as aportable electronic device 100B (e.g., smart phone), in some embodimentsdevice 100B may be a dedicated sensing and/or emitting device such as anarray of ultrasound elements and associated circuitry. Signals (e.g.,waves or beams 308) emitted from the portable electronic device 100B aresensed by the portable electronic device 100A and are utilized to rendera 2-D or 3-D image 312 (e.g., real-time or substantially real-timeimage) of the target 306. In some embodiments, a generated 3-D image maybe in the form of a pop-out image or a depth image. In some embodiments,the portable electronic device 100A may be configured to transmitsignals (e.g., waves or beams) 308 though the target 306 to be receivedby the portable electronic device 100B. In some embodiments, theportable electronic device 100B may simultaneously or substantiallysimultaneously render an image (e.g., back view or alternate view orlevel of detail of an image rendered by device 100A) based at least inpart on processing sensed signals. In some embodiments, the portableelectronic devices 100A and/or 100B may communicate the results of thesensed signals to the other in order to generate or improve a renderedimage.

FIG. 4 illustrates a back-scatter or reflective imaging system andmethod 401 according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. Asshown in FIG. 4, a portable electronic device 100 may utilize emissionand/or sensing elements 104 in order to render an image 410 based atleast in part on reflection (e.g., back-scatter effect) of the signals408. In some embodiments, portable electronic device 100 is the onlydevice utilized in order to image the target (e.g., to produce an imageappearing as a window into a human body). For example, the portableelectronic device 100 may include both radiation sources and sensors(e.g., separate sources and sensors, and/or multiple transducersfunctioning as both sources and sensors), where all or substantially allof the radiation utilized by the sensors to reconstruct image(s) isbackscatter radiation or radiation produced through a similar effect.

FIG. 5 illustrates a transmissive and/or reflective imaging system andmethod 501 according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. Asshown in FIG. 5, a plurality of devices, such as portable electronicdevices 500A, 500B, 500C, and/or 500D may be utilized in order to renderone or more image(s) 510 of target 506 on portable electronic device500B. Each of the portable electronic devices 500A-500D may beconfigured to emit signals (e.g., waves or beams) 508 as shown in FIG.5. The image 510, or alternate views of the image or imaged structure,may be rendered on the other portable electronic devices (e.g., 500A,500C, and 500D) through communication with one-another. In someembodiments, each of the devices (e.g., 500A, 500C, and/or 500D) may beconfigured as emitting and/or sensing devices only. The image 510 thatis rendered on portable device 500B may be based at least in part onsignals 508 that are emitted by one or more of the devices 500A-500D,and which are sensed through reflection (e.g., back-scatter) and/ortransmission by one or more of the devices 500A-500D.

In some embodiments, one or more portable electronic devices accordingto the present disclosure may generate and/or render an image basedsolely on signals received by one or more sensors (e.g., ultrasoundtransducers) of the device. In some embodiments, one or more portableelectronic devices according to the present disclosure may generateand/or render an image based at least in part on information stored inmemory (e.g., random access memory) of the portable device(s)identifying detail(s) regarding the structure(s), part(s),composition(s), and/or other characteristic(s) of object(s) to beimaged. For example, in some embodiments, when data received by one ormore sensor(s) of the portable electronic devices indicates that theobject being imaged is a particular body part or region, the portableelectronic devices may use stored data in addition to the received datain order to generate an image of the object and/or its constituentpart(s), and/or to provide addition detail or explanation regarding anobject and/or its constituent parts.

In some embodiments of the present disclosure, the generated and/orrendered image may be a real-time or substantially real-time image thatis dynamically updated based on movement of a portable electronic device100 along a surface of an imaging target and/or motion of the imagingtarget. FIG. 6A illustrates a portable electronic device 100 includingan imaging interface 102 for generating and/or rendering an internalimage of a portion of a human body at a first position and at a secondposition according to some embodiments. FIG. 6B illustrates athree-dimensional internal image 610 of a portion of a human body at thefirst position shown in FIG. 6A that is generated and/or rendered by aportable electronic device 100 according to some embodiments. FIG. 6Cillustrates a three-dimensional internal image 610 of a portion of ahuman body at the second position shown in FIG. 6A that is generatedand/or rendered by a portable electronic device 100 according to someembodiments. As shown in FIG. 6B, a three-dimensional internal image 610of a portion of the human body may generated and displayed to a viewer617. The three-dimensional image 610 may appear to the viewer 617 as animage having variations in, for example, topography that correspond tothe surfaces and/or other aspects or features of the internal portion ofthe body at the first position of the portable electronic device 100 asshown in FIG. 6A. The three-dimensional image 610 may be a real-timecontinuous image that is dynamically updated based on movement of theportable electronic device 100 and/or the internal portion of the bodythat is being analyzed. As shown in FIG. 6C, a differentthree-dimensional internal image 610 is displayed to the viewer 617showing different underlying structures and/or aspects (e.g., organs,arteries, veins, tissues, bone, and/or other bodily contents or parts).The three-dimensional internal image 610 shown in FIG. 6C corresponds tothe internal image of the body portion corresponding to the secondposition of the portable electronic device 100 as shown in FIG. 6A. Asshown in FIG. 6C, the internal image 610 is illustrated as a differentimage showing different topographical and/or other aspects or featuresof the body portion than the internal image 610 shown in FIG. 6B. Asdiscussed above, through selection of different aspect ratios and/orzoom settings, as well as through positioning of the portable electronicdevice 600, different types of internal images of a target may begenerated, such as a three-dimensional view of an entire organ ormultiple organs.

In some embodiments, the imaging elements, including sensors and/orsources (e.g., transducers), may be provided on, in, or otherwisecoupled to a case for a portable electronic device. FIG. 7A illustratesa front view of a portable electronic device 700 according to someembodiments of the present disclosure. The portable electronic device700 includes an imaging interface 702. FIG. 7B illustrates a back viewof the portable electronic device 700 according to some embodiments ofthe present disclosure. As shown in FIGS. 7A and 7B, unlike the portableelectronic device 100, the portable electronic device 700 does notinclude imaging elements 104 as part of the main housing or enclosure ofdevice 700.

FIG. 7C illustrates a front view of a case 711 for a portable electronicdevice according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. FIG. 7Dillustrates a back view of the case 711 including imaging elements for aportable electronic device according to some embodiments of the presentdisclosure. The case 711 may be configured to at least partially enclosethe portable electronic device 700. In some embodiments, case 711 maysimultaneously provide imaging capabilities to portable electronicdevice 700 and serve as a protective case. The case may be made of anysuitable material such as rubber, plastic, leather, and/or or the like.As shown in FIG. 7D, an imaging circuit 712 (e.g., an integratedcircuit) may be provided on (e.g., directly on), embedded in, and/orotherwise coupled to the back surface and/or other surface(s) of thecase 711. Case 711 may be considered part of portable electronic device700.

The imaging circuit 712 may include one or more imaging elements 104. Asdiscussed above, the imaging elements 104 may include sources and/orsensors. The imaging circuit 712 may also include a communication device714 configured to communicate with the portable electronic device 700via a wired or wireless link. For example, the imaging circuit 712 mayinclude a communication transmitter/receiver which utilizes an infraredsignal, a Bluetooth communication signal, a near-field communicationsignal, and/or the like to communicate with the portable electronicdevice 700. In some embodiments, the communication device 714 may be incommunication with the processing circuitry of a portable electronicdevice through a wired communications link (e.g., a USB port, or otherdata port), or combination of wired and wireless links. In someembodiments, the imaging circuit 712 may receive power through wiredand/or wireless connection(s) to the portable electronic device. In someembodiments, the imaging circuit 712 may receive power from a separatepower source (e.g., a battery) that is coupled to the imaging circuit712. In some embodiments, when the portable electronic device 700 iscoupled to or attached to the case 711, a software application and/ordrivers are automatically loaded and/or executed by the portableelectronic device 700 in order to render an image based on communicationwith the imaging circuit 712. The software application and/or driversmay be stored in a memory of the imaging circuit 712 and communicated tothe portable electronic device 700 and/or may be retrieved by theportable electronic device through a network (e.g., the internet).

In some embodiments, the portable electronic device 700 receives rawdata from the communication device 714 and processes the raw data usingprocessing circuitry (e.g., image signal processor, digital signalprocessor, filters, and/or the like) included in the portable electronicdevice 700. In some embodiments, the imaging circuit 712 includes alocal imaging processor 716 configured to process signals received byimaging elements 104. The communication device 714 may be configured tocommunicate data received from the imaging elements 104 (e.g., such asraw sensor data) and/or may communicate processed data that is receivedfrom the local imaging processor 716. As shown in FIG. 7A, the portableelectronic device 700 includes an interface 702 for displaying an imagethat is rendered by processing signals received from the communicationdevice 714.

In some embodiments, an imaging circuit (e.g., an integrated circuit)may be provided separately such that it can be mounted and/or attachedto different cases used by different portable electronic devices. FIG.8A illustrates a front view of a case 811A for a portable electronicdevice according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. FIG. 8Billustrates a back view of the case 811A including a retaining mechanism820 for a modular unit 830 utilized with a portable electronic deviceaccording to some embodiments of the present disclosure. FIG. 8Cillustrates a front view of a case 811B for a portable electronic deviceaccording to some embodiments of the present disclosure. FIG. 8Dillustrates a back view of the case 811B including a retaining mechanismfor a modular unit 830 utilized with a portable electronic deviceaccording to some embodiments of the present disclosure. FIG. 8Eillustrates a modular unit 830 including an imaging circuit 712according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. As shown inFIGS. 8A-8D, the case 811A has a different shape than the case 811B. Thecase 811A may be utilized for a first portable electronic device, whilethe case 811B may be utilized for a second portable electronic devicehaving a different size and/or shape than the first portable electronicdevice. Each of the cases 811A and 811B includes a retaining mechanism820 that is configured to retain the modular unit 830.

The modular unit 830 may include the imaging circuit 712 as discussedabove with reference to FIGS. 7A-7D. The imaging circuit 712 may includeone or more imaging elements 104, a communication device 714, and/or alocal imaging processor 716. The modular unit 830 also includes acoupling mechanism 832 that is configured to engage with the retainingmechanism 820 of the cases 811A and 811B. For example, in someembodiments, the retaining mechanism 820 may correspond to a slot on thecase 811A and/or 811B that is configured to receive the modular unit830. The coupling mechanism 832 may be shaped to correspond to the slotof the case 811A and/or 811B such that the modular unit 830 may besecured by the case 811A and/or 811B. In some embodiments, the retainingmechanism 820 and the coupling mechanism 832 may include correspondingstructures for locking the modular unit 830 in place during use. In someembodiments, the retaining mechanism 820 may include one or more magnetshaving a first polarity, and the coupling mechanism 832 may include oneor more magnets having a second polarity that is opposite of the firstpolarity such that the modular unit 830 can be retained by the case 811Aand/or 811B.

As described with reference to FIGS. 8A-8E, since the modular unit 830may be incorporated with different cases 811A and/or 811B that areutilized for different portable electronic devices, the modular unit 830may advantageously provide flexibility in the incorporation of animaging system with different portable electronic devices. Furthermore,different cases 811A and 811B may be manufactured using any suitabletechniques (e.g., 3-D printing, injection molding, or the like). In someembodiments, case 811A and/or case 811B may be manufactured at low costsuch that the different cases 811A and 811B may be discarded and/orupgraded while remaining compatible with the modular unit 830. As aresult, the modular unit 830 can be integrated into and utilized by auser with a plurality of portable electronic devices even when thedesign of the portable electronic devices is changed (e.g., updatedand/or upgraded).

Examples of suitable imaging devices that may integrated within orcoupled to a portable electronic device according to some embodiments ofthe present disclosure are described in commonly-owned U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 13/654,337 filed Oct. 17, 2012, and entitled“Transmissive Imaging and Related Apparatus and Methods;” U.S.Provisional Application Ser. No. 61/798,851 filed Mar. 15, 2013, andentitled “Monolithic Ultrasonic Imaging Devices, Systems and Methods;”and U.S. Provisional Application Serial No. 61/794,744 filed on Mar. 15,2013, and entitled “Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor (CMOS)Ultrasonic Transducers and Methods for Forming the Same,” each of whichis incorporated by reference in its entirety.

Having thus described several aspects and embodiments of the technologydescribed herein, it is to be appreciated that various alterations,modifications, and improvements will readily occur to those skilled inthe art. Such alterations, modifications, and improvements are intendedto be within the spirit and scope of the technology described in thepresent disclosure. For example, those of ordinary skill in the art willreadily envision a variety of other means and/or structures forperforming the function and/or obtaining the results and/or one or moreof the advantages described herein, and each of such variations and/ormodifications is deemed to be within the scope of the embodimentsdescribed herein. Those skilled in the art will recognize, or be able toascertain using no more than routine experimentation, many equivalentsto the specific embodiments described herein. It is, therefore, to beunderstood that the foregoing embodiments are presented by way ofexample only and that, within the scope of the appended claims andequivalents thereto, inventive embodiments may be practiced otherwisethan as specifically described. In addition, any combination of two ormore features, systems, articles, materials, kits, and/or methodsdescribed herein, if such features, systems, articles, materials, kits,and/or methods are not mutually inconsistent, is included within thescope of the present disclosure.

The above-described embodiments can be implemented in any of numerousways. One or more aspects and embodiments of the present disclosureinvolving the performance of processes or methods may utilize programinstructions executable by a device (e.g., a computer, a processor, orother device) to perform, or control performance of, the processes ormethods. In this respect, various inventive concepts may be embodied asa computer readable storage medium (or multiple computer readablestorage media) (e.g., a non-transitory computer memory, one or morefloppy discs, compact discs, optical discs, magnetic tapes, flashmemories, circuit configurations in Field Programmable Gate Arrays orother semiconductor devices, or other tangible computer storage medium)encoded with one or more programs that, when executed on one or morecomputers or other processors, perform methods that implement one ormore of the various embodiments described above. The computer readablemedium or media can be transportable, such that the program or programsstored thereon can be loaded onto one or more different computers orother processors to implement various ones of the aspects describedabove. In some embodiments, computer readable media may benon-transitory media.

The terms “program” or “software” are used herein in a generic sense torefer to any type of computer code or set of computer-executableinstructions that can be employed to program a computer or otherprocessor to implement various aspects as described above. Additionally,it should be appreciated that according to one aspect, one or morecomputer programs that when executed perform methods of the presentapplication need not reside on a single computer or processor, but maybe distributed in a modular fashion among a number of differentcomputers or processors to implement various aspects of the presentapplication.

Computer-executable instructions may be in many forms, such as programmodules, executed by one or more computers or other devices. Generally,program modules include routines, programs, objects, components, datastructures, etc. that perform particular tasks or implement particularabstract data types. Typically the functionality of the program modulesmay be combined or distributed as desired in various embodiments.

Also, data structures may be stored in computer-readable media in anysuitable form. For simplicity of illustration, data structures may beshown to have fields that are related through location in the datastructure. Such relationships may likewise be achieved by assigningstorage for the fields with locations in a computer-readable medium thatconvey relationship between the fields. However, any suitable mechanismmay be used to establish a relationship between information in fields ofa data structure, including through the use of pointers, tags or othermechanisms that establish relationship between data elements.

When implemented in software, the software code can be executed on anysuitable processor or collection of processors, whether provided in asingle computer or distributed among multiple computers.

Further, it should be appreciated that a computer may be embodied in anyof a number of forms, such as a rack-mounted computer, a desktopcomputer, a laptop computer, or a tablet computer, as non-limitingexamples. Additionally, a computer may be embedded in a device notgenerally regarded as a computer but with suitable processingcapabilities, including a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA), a smartphone or any other suitable portable or fixed electronic device.

Also, a computer may have one or more input and output devices. Thesedevices can be used, among other things, to present a user interface.Examples of output devices that can be used to provide a user interfaceinclude printers or display screens for visual presentation of outputand speakers or other sound generating devices for audible presentationof output. Examples of input devices that can be used for a userinterface include keyboards, and pointing devices, such as mice, touchpads, and digitizing tablets. As another example, a computer may receiveinput information through speech recognition or in other audibleformats.

Such computers may be interconnected by one or more networks in anysuitable form, including a local area network or a wide area network,such as an enterprise network, and intelligent network (IN) or theInternet. Such networks may be based on any suitable technology and mayoperate according to any suitable protocol and may include wirelessnetworks, wired networks or fiber optic networks.

Also, as described, some aspects may be embodied as one or more methods.The acts performed as part of the method may be ordered in any suitableway. Accordingly, embodiments may be constructed in which acts areperformed in an order different than illustrated, which may includeperforming some acts simultaneously, even though shown as sequentialacts in illustrative embodiments.

All definitions, as defined and used herein, should be understood tocontrol over dictionary definitions and/or ordinary meanings of thedefined terms.

The indefinite articles “a” and “an,” as used herein in thespecification and in the claims, unless clearly indicated to thecontrary, should be understood to mean “at least one.”

The phrase “and/or,” as used herein in the specification and in theclaims, should be understood to mean “either or both” of the elements soconjoined, i.e., elements that are conjunctively present in some casesand disjunctively present in other cases. Multiple elements listed with“and/or” should be construed in the same fashion, i.e., “one or more” ofthe elements so conjoined. Other elements may optionally be presentother than the elements specifically identified by the “and/or” clause,whether related or unrelated to those elements specifically identified.Thus, as a non-limiting example, a reference to “A and/or B”, when usedin conjunction with open-ended language such as “comprising” can refer,in one embodiment, to A only (optionally including elements other thanB); in another embodiment, to B only (optionally including elementsother than A); in yet another embodiment, to both A and B (optionallyincluding other elements); etc.

As used herein in the specification and in the claims, the phrase “atleast one,” in reference to a list of one or more elements, should beunderstood to mean at least one element selected from any one or more ofthe elements in the list of elements, but not necessarily including atleast one of each and every element specifically listed within the listof elements and not excluding any combinations of elements in the listof elements. This definition also allows that elements may optionally bepresent other than the elements specifically identified within the listof elements to which the phrase “at least one” refers, whether relatedor unrelated to those elements specifically identified. Thus, as anon-limiting example, “at least one of A and B” (or, equivalently, “atleast one of A or B,” or, equivalently “at least one of A and/or B”) canrefer, in one embodiment, to at least one, optionally including morethan one, A, with no B present (and optionally including elements otherthan B); in another embodiment, to at least one, optionally includingmore than one, B, with no A present (and optionally including elementsother than A); in yet another embodiment, to at least one, optionallyincluding more than one, A, and at least one, optionally including morethan one, B (and optionally including other elements); etc.

Also, the phraseology and terminology used herein is for the purpose ofdescription and should not be regarded as limiting. The use of“including,” “comprising,” or “having,” “containing,” “involving,” andvariations thereof herein, is meant to encompass the items listedthereafter and equivalents thereof as well as additional items.

1-33. (canceled)
 34. An imaging system, comprising: a plurality ofimaging devices communicatively coupled to each other, each imagingdevice in the plurality of imaging devices generates at least oneradiation signal; a first imaging device in the plurality of imagingdevices receives the at least one radiation signal from a second imagingdevice in the plurality of imaging devices, the received at least oneradiation signal includes at least one of the following: a radiationsignal generated by the second imaging device and reflected by a subjectto be imaged, and a radiation signal generated by the second imagingdevice and transmitted through the subject; and the first imagingdevice, based on the received at least one radiation signal, renders animage of the subject, thereby providing a simulated virtual window intoan interior portion of the subject.
 35. The system according to claim34, wherein one or more imaging devices in the plurality of imagingdevices generate at least one alternate image of the subject.
 36. Thesystem according to claim 34, wherein each imaging device is a portableimaging device having a housing containing at least one imaging elementbeing integrated into the housing, the at least one imaging element isconfigured to transmit and/or receive one or more radiation signals; atleast one processing element being integrated into the housing andcommunicatively coupled to the at least one imaging element, the atleast one processing element is configured to process one or moreradiation signals, wherein processing of one or more radiation signalsincludes at least one of the following: processing one or more receivedradiation signals, and causing transmission of one or more radiationsignals by the at least one imaging element; a display being integratedinto the housing and being communicatively coupled with the at least oneprocessing element; and a memory communicatively coupled to the at leastone processing element.
 37. The system according to claim 36, whereinthe at least one processing element, based on the at least one processedradiation signal, is configured to perform at least one of thefollowing: identify, based on an analysis of the at least one processedradiation signal and a comparison to data stored in the memory of theimaging device, at least one part of the interior portion of thesubject; render the image on the display; upwardly project, using thedisplay, the image from a surface of the display; and simulate anupdated virtual window into the interior portion of the subjectcorresponding to a new position of at least one imaging device in theplurality of imaging devices in relation to the subject.
 38. The systemaccording to claim 37, wherein the rendered image includes at least oneof the following: a real-time image, a continuous image, atwo-dimensional image, a three-dimensional image, a polarized image, anexploded image, and any combination thereof.
 39. The system according toclaim 36, wherein the at least one processing element generates anidentification information for display in the virtual window based oninformation stored in the memory of the imaging device; the informationincludes data associated with one or more abnormalities in at least onepart of the interior portion of the subject.
 40. The system according toclaim 39, wherein the identification information includes at least oneof the following: text and graphics.
 41. The system according to claim39, wherein the identification information includes data associated withat least one of the following: an organ, artery, vein, tissue, bone, andother bodily content or part.
 42. The system according to claim 39,wherein the identification information includes data associated with atleast one of the following: a shape, color, texture, cellularcharacteristic, and tissue characteristic of an imaged structure orobject.
 43. The system according to claim 36, wherein the at least oneimaging element includes a transducer.
 44. The system according to claim43, wherein the transducer is an ultrasound transducer.
 45. The systemaccording to claim 34, wherein at least one imaging device in theplurality of imaging devices is positioned remotely from the subject.46. The system according to claim 34, wherein the rendered image changesto display at least another interior portion of the subject when atleast one imaging device is moved relative to the subject.
 47. Thesystem according to claim 34, wherein the at least one radiation signalis an ultrasound signal.
 48. The system according to claim 34, whereinthe rendered image is adjusted using at least one of the following: azoom level, a centering position, a level of detail, a depth of theinterior portion, a resolution, a brightness, a color, and anycombination thereof.
 49. The system according to claim 34, wherein thesubject includes at least one of the following: a human body and aportion of a human body.
 50. The system according to claim 34, whereinat least one imaging device in the plurality of imaging devices includesat least one of the following: a cellular telephone; a personal digitalassistant; a smartphone; a tablet device; a digital camera; a laptopcomputer; an ultrasound device; an ultrasound transducer; an array ofultrasound transducers; an ultrasound imaging element; a deviceincluding at least one of the following: at least one ultrasoundtransducer, at least one array of ultrasound transducers, at least oneultrasound source, at least one an ultrasound imaging element, at leastone ultrasound sensor, at least one radiation element, and anycombination thereof; and any combination thereof.
 51. An imaging system,comprising: a plurality of imaging devices communicatively coupled toeach other, each imaging device in the plurality of imaging devices ispositioned at a respective first position in relation to a subject to beimaged; a first imaging device in the plurality of imaging devicesdetermines a second position of the first imaging device in relation tothe subject based on a first position of a second imaging device in theplurality of imaging devices, wherein the first position of the secondimaging device is detected by the first imaging device; the secondimaging device transmits at least one radiation signal through thesubject; and the first imaging device, at the determined secondposition, receives the at least one radiation signal, and, using the atleast one received radiation signal, renders an image of the subject,thereby providing a simulated virtual window into an interior portion ofthe subject.
 52. The system according to claim 51, wherein each imagingdevice is a portable imaging device having a housing containing at leastone imaging element being integrated into the housing, the at least oneimaging element is configured to transmit and/or receive one or moreradiation signals; a sensor being integrated into the housing andconfigured to detect a position of at least another imaging device inthe plurality of imaging device; at least one processing element beingintegrated into the housing and communicatively coupled to the at leastone imaging element, the at least one processing element is configuredto process one or more radiation signals, wherein processing of one ormore radiation signals includes at least one of the following:processing one or more received radiation signals, and causingtransmission of one or more radiation signals by the at least oneimaging element; a display being integrated into the housing and beingcommunicatively coupled with the at least one processing element; and amemory communicatively coupled to the at least one processing element.53. The system according to claim 52, wherein the at least oneprocessing element, based on the at least one processed radiationsignal, is configured to perform at least one of the following:identify, based on an analysis of the at least one processed radiationsignal and a comparison to data stored in the memory of the imagingdevice, at least one part of the interior portion of the subject; renderthe image on the display; upwardly project, using the display, the imagefrom a surface of the display; and simulate an updated virtual windowinto the interior portion of the subject corresponding to a new positionof at least one imaging device in the plurality of imaging devices inrelation to the subject.
 54. The system according to claim 53, whereinthe rendered image includes at least one of the following: a real-timeimage, a continuous image, a two-dimensional image, a three-dimensionalimage, a polarized image, an exploded image, and any combinationthereof.
 55. The system according to claim 52, wherein the at least oneprocessing element generates an identification information for displayin the virtual window based on information stored in the memory of theimaging device; the information includes data associated with one ormore abnormalities in at least one part of the interior portion of thesubject.
 56. The system according to claim 55, wherein theidentification information includes at least one of the following: textand graphics.
 57. The system according to claim 55, wherein theidentification information includes data associated with at least one ofthe following: an organ, artery, vein, tissue, bone, and other bodilycontent or part.
 58. The system according to claim 55, wherein theidentification information includes data associated with at least one ofthe following: a shape, color, texture, cellular characteristic, andtissue characteristic of an imaged structure or object.
 59. The systemaccording to claim 52, wherein the at least one imaging element includesa transducer.
 60. The system according to claim 59, wherein thetransducer is an ultrasound transducer.
 61. The system according toclaim 51, wherein at least one imaging device in the plurality ofimaging devices is positioned remotely from the subject.
 62. The systemaccording to claim 51, wherein the rendered image changes to display atleast another interior portion of the subject when at least one imagingdevice is moved relative to the subject.
 63. The system according toclaim 51, wherein the at least one radiation signal is an ultrasoundsignal.
 64. The system according to claim 51, wherein the rendered imageis adjusted using at least one of the following: a zoom level, acentering position, a level of detail, a depth of the interior portion,a resolution, a brightness, a color, and any combination thereof. 65.The system according to claim 51, wherein the subject includes at leastone of the following: a human body and a portion of a human body. 66.The system according to claim 51, wherein at least one imaging device inthe plurality of imaging devices includes at least one of the following:a cellular telephone; a personal digital assistant; a smartphone; atablet device; a digital camera; a laptop computer; an ultrasounddevice; an ultrasound transducer; an array of ultrasound transducers; anultrasound imaging element; a device including at least one of thefollowing: at least one ultrasound transducer, at least one array ofultrasound transducers, at least one ultrasound source, at least one anultrasound imaging element, at least one ultrasound sensor, at least oneradiation element, and any combination thereof; and any combinationthereof.